Previously, many types of artificial lures have been used in endeavoring to provide an effective means for producing bait that will consistently attract fish. Prior art is replete with lures that utilize one or more spinners that rotate to attract game fish. The structure generally includes a V-shaped wireform arm or shaft with the spinner, or multiple thereof, on one end and a weighted hook on the other end. In many cases, the hook is attached adjacent to or integrally formed with a molded body of metal or some other heavy material. The hook is usually turned upwardly toward the wireform arm and a fishing line is secured at the apex of the V-shaped member. Sometimes the body is covered with a plastic or rubber skirt which extends rearwardly over the hook to partially obscure its identity and add a ripple effect, as the lure is retrieved through the water. These skirts are popular and have been included in most fishing lures in this discipline for sometime. The skirts are often a single color, but may be formed of mixed strands or filaments of varied hues.
Spinners have been known and widely used for decades and are mounted on a shaft that permits complete rotation when drawn through the water. The contour, or outline, of the spinner blade has been developed over the years to a fine art, as it determines not only its rotational speed, but also the angle of descent relative to its rotational axis. For example, a so-called Colorado blade rotates rather slowly and at an extreme angle with respect to its rotational axis, while the narrow so-called willow leaf blade rotates rapidly with a small angle with respect to its rotational axis. Many other shapes and configurations fall inbetween and rotate at various angles and speeds.
Some prior art utilizes noise producing spinners, known in the trade as "buzz bait", having multi-blade spinners that are rotatably mounted over the wire shaft and are shaped to create a cavitation emitting a sonic pulse. The multiple blades have a certain angular relationship that may be changed to regulate the noise produced by the spinners making the chattering noise of a number of vibrant pings rather than dead sounding clunks. Still others have multiple blades striking each other, as they simultaneously rotate.
It may be seen that a great deal of effort has been directed in this field of endeavor for many years, however, there is still room for improvement in spinner bait, due to its almost universal use and continued popularity.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention, however, the following U.S. patents are considered related:
U.S. Pat. No. 5,266,268, issued to Sisson, Jr., teaches a lure with a bifurcated frame with a hook on one arm and a spinner on the other. A dive plate, in fan shape, is located near the apex of the frame and is juxtapositioned therebetween. The dive plate creates a bottom hugging lure, as when it is pulled through the water it steers the lure in a downward direction.
Hilliard in U.S. Pat. No. 5,146,706 discloses a lure having a polymetric hub that mounts a number of fish hooks in opposed directions. The hook portions are aligned with opposed shanks and, by application of pressure to the shank, each hook is rotated to an open position.
Shindeldecker U.S. Pat. No. 4,823,500 utilizes a spherical member attached to one leg of a V-shaped shaft and a weighted hook fastened on the other. When the lure is retrieved through the water, the spherical member imparts a side to side motion to the lure.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,089 issued to Long et al uses a pair of nested noise producing spinners on one arm of a V-shaped structure. The spinners are rotatably mounted behind a spacer bead and the blade configuration cause the pair to rotate in the same direction at different speeds, striking each other to produce a fish attracting sound.
Wotawa et al, in U.S. Pat. 4,765,085, presents a lure with a vane for oscillating movement without rotating. A spinner on the trailing end of the vane spins freely for attracting fish.
Gentry U.S. Pat. No. 4,718,191 discloses a two-sided angular frame with one or more buzz blades or spinner blades mounted on one of the arms. The arm member is free to move or pivot back and forth at the point of attachment, however, it will not strike the other parts of the lure. The blades move vigorously from side to side imitating live bait.
Stanley U.S. Pat. No. 4,640,041, is similar in many respects to the instant invention, however, the wire body that is formed in the shape of a "V" and joined to a fishing line at the apex has one arm tapered to enhance the ability of the spinners attached thereon to spin, flash, and vibrate at a greater degree. The blade arm has a diameter preferably 62 to 70% of that of the hook arm, making it suitable for most fresh water fishing. The arm may be tapered by drawing, grinding, or a smaller diameter wire may be welded to the larger hook arm.
Borders U.S. Pat. No. 4,625,448 utilizes a bushing in an essentially V-shape shaft where it attaches to the line at the apex. The line is secured around the bushing rather than directly around the shaft of the lure, so as to minimize frictional wear on the line when the lure twists relative to the line.
Miles U.S. Pat. No. 4,133,135, discloses a lure having two wires supporting two spinner blades in alignment with a hook. In one embodiment, the second spinner wire is attached to the hook and parallels the second wire and is connected thereunto by various well known methods. The second embodiment has the second spinner wire protruding separately from the hook at the bulbous portion encapsulating the hook eye.
It may be seen that the majority of this prior art employs a hook and a generally configured V-shaped shaft with spinners of some type on one of the arms. Apparently the distinction found in this art varies only slightly, making minor improvements functionally different and, therefore, patentably distinguishable.